With increasing energy costs, climate impacts and higher demands, a powerful technology is needed for optimal economic planning, design, and operation of heating and cooling plants. Such technology can produce significant cost, greenhouse gas, and water savings depending on the current design and operation of a given plant, without capital outlay for plant improvements. In addition, the development of such technology could allow plant designers and operators to intelligently and effectively address the challenges and opportunities presented by time-of-use energy pricing, thermal storage, heat recovery, carbon monetization, water supply limitations, and other major factors affecting central energy production for large commercial and industrial complexes such as universities, military bases, and corporate campuses that employ heating and cooling plants.
The present invention addresses at least some of the issues and advances the art with methods and systems for optimal economic planning, design, and operation of heating and cooling plants.